When do Bullock's orioles arrive in Wyoming?
The Bullock's Oriole is a summer breeder in Wyoming — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Bullock's Oriole timing in Wyoming
- Arrives
- Around May
- Leaves
- By August
- Status here
- Summer breeder
- Nesting season
- June–July
- Present roughly
- May–August
In Wyoming, Bullock's orioles are present through the warm months, arriving around May and heading south again by August.
These windows are set by latitude: Wyoming sits in the middle part of this species' range, so timing here runs later than the continental average — the season starts later this far north and the birds wait for it. In any given year, weather can move the first arrivals by a week or two either way.
Month by month in this state
Highlighted months are when Bullock's orioles are expected in Wyoming. The edges of the window are the interesting weeks — first arrivals and last departures vary most from year to year.
Getting ready before they arrive
The week before May is the time to act. Have feeders cleaned, filled and out by early May — the first Bullock's orioles into Wyoming are scouting for reliable food, and a station that's ready early gets added to their route.
Once nesting begins around June, adults switch to protein-rich food for their young and visits to feeders become quick and purposeful. Expect the busiest activity at dawn.
What Bullock's orioles eat while they're here
- Caterpillars
Weaves hanging nests in cottonwoods along western rivers.
Full Bullock's Oriole diet guide → · Best feeder for Bullock's orioles →
Native plants that hold Bullock's orioles in Wyoming
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Wyoming-native plants are known to attract Bullock's orioles:
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.
Sweet dry fruit on the branch all winter.
Berry-like cones feed bluebirds, solitaires and waxwings in winter.
Early yellow flowers for hummingbirds, then summer fruit.
Saskatoon berries ripen in early summer.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do Bullock's orioles arrive in Wyoming?
Bullock's orioles typically arrive in Wyoming around May, with nesting underway by June. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do Bullock's orioles leave Wyoming?
Most Bullock's orioles have left Wyoming by August. They spend the winter farther south and return the following spring.
Do Bullock's orioles stay in Wyoming all year?
No — in Wyoming the Bullock's Oriole is a summer breeder, present roughly May–August. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before Bullock's orioles arrive in Wyoming?
Have feeders up and clean by early May — first arrivals scout reliable food sources. Good offerings for this species: caterpillars.
Sources
- Bullock's Oriole — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Bullock's Oriole life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Bullock's Oriole — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Wyoming
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.